On a night when record number of results were wrought by decision, two boys
from Brazil, Jose Aldo and Renan Barao, were runaway winners at UFC 169

For once, the proverbial Fat Lady sang long, loud and…prematurely. On a night in Newark when a record number of results were wrought by decision, the two boys from Brazil, Jose Aldo and Renan Barao, were runaway winners at UFC 169.

Worth recording, though, that Barao’s first round TKO stoppage of Urijah Faber was premature, a rare moment of probable misjudgement from Herb Dean. Faber had his thumb up at the time, signalling that he was fine to continue. “Herb Dean doesn’t make many mistakes, but he blew it tonight,” was the comment of UFC president Dana White.

Bottom line, on a night which raised several talking points, was that the Brazilian gym mates - who might even be contesting the sport’s No 1 pound for pound position at this moment - retained their titles with ease at 145 and 135lbs. Nine years unbeaten, the pair of them. For all the hype given to the challengers, these pair of wreckers are just sublime. From adversity come champions.

Featherweight champion Jose Aldo is on a different level. This was 23 minutes of dominance. Technical dominance. Ricardo Lamas was beaten by a Brazilian who hurts opponents from the outside, has world-class skills on the inside, commands the centre of the Octagon like a mayordomo, and while his Achilles heel is the fatigue which begins to wrap around him in the fifth round of fights, has an iron-clad focus which nullifies dangerous challengers.

Lamas was supposed to be just that. Yet he barely made an inroad, despite his fortitude. Aldo let the reins slip for the final minute and a half in New Jersey with four rounds already in the can, but his efficiency, and indeed economy, radiates an apparent simplicity which in fighting terms, is brutal artistry at its most compelling. Only the very best can make it look that easy.

There was a crescendo to this performance. Utter economy to start, wasting nothing. Then dominance - body shots, counter left hooks and those brutal leg kicks in the middlle rounds, and by the time Lamas mounted a desperate last charge, a fighter with one of the biggest hearts in the sport was seeking desperately just to make his mark on a fight in which he could not find a foothold against a master of timing, movement and distance.

Aldo acknowledged the challenges of Cub Swanson, Dustin Poirier and Chad Mendes, which lie ahead, but also talked of the proposed Anthony Pettis contest. “I still have a few more challengers in the division [- Cub Swanson, Dustin Poirier and Chad Mendes]. Each fight is a different challenge. If Pettis wants to fight, I’m ready to go and I want that fight.”

Barao, meanwhile, is a Route 1 fighter. Never fearing exchanges, he was clattered by a right-left in the opening salvos by Urijah Faber, but then hurt the Californian three times. After stunning Faber with an overhand right in an early exchange, Barao dropped with a long, right hand, followed up with ground and pound, then a knee.

Barao was now looking for the finish, and landing another big right hand, Faber was down again, the Brazilian swarming him from the top throwing punches as the American curled himself into a protective shell. Referee Dean had not seen the thumb signal from Faber.

There are two ways to see this: Dean saved Faber from more damage, or, as in other contests, Faber gets up, out and pulls off victory from the jaws of defeat. The stoppage was premature, but instinct says that Barao was on the way to a stoppage here. He is some fighter, always excites, and if he could speak the English language, could be one of the great stars of the sport.

“I always look for the knockout or submission and it came,” said Barao afterwards, confirming that he is happy to face original opponent Dominick Cruz, who had been forced to withdraw through injury.

Faber was sporting about the decision of Dean: “When you’re in a dangerous situation, you protect yourself. The ref Herb Dean said ‘protect yourself’ and I put my thumb up.”

“Herb Dean is a great ref. It’s unfortunate to not be able to fight to the end. I’ll be back. I’m not the type of person to stay down for very long.”

The battle of two erstwhile MMA/UFC world champions assisted in that Fat Lady singing over the Passaic River in New Jersey. The over-confidence of Overeem has gone. This was the safe version. He hurt Mir in the opening round, yet held off from going for the finish. Not what heavyweights should do.

Peculiarly, he called out Brock Lesnar afterwards – a man whom he has already beaten and has only flirted with a return to the Octagon to stoke the oxygen of publicity.

Overeem is not White’s favourite heavyweight right now: “He fought safe. I think he could have finished Mir. He kept his job. Should Frank retire? We don’t make those decisions tonight. Frank is tough. It was a crappy performance by Alistair and then he calls out someone who doesn’t even fight in the UFC. It was not a great night for Overeem.”

In general, I’m not given to screaming about judging decisions. But given that there were ten of them on this card, it merits some thought.

Middleweight Tom Watson’s contest with Nick Catone was one of ten fights which went to a decision. For the record, the most ever in one event.

Watson, in need of a win after losing to Thales Leites last time out, had a lucid plan to steer clear of grappling with Nick Catone, and Catone could not get in, so a stalemate ensued. Catone’s takedowns were scored more highly than Watson’s leg kicks which landed. How it was seen by Michelle Agustin 30-27 to Catone will remain a mystery. For the record, there was not one round of the three rounds in which all three judges concurred.

The story was similar in the John Makdessi – Alan Patrick fight at lightweight. Makdessi appeared to nullify Patrick, and although it was close, outwork the BJJ ace on the feet. However, Cardo Urso gave it 30-27 to Patrick, and former UFC fighter turned judge Ricardo Almeida scored it 29-28 to Patrick. No argument with the close call 29-28 as the first and third rounds were close, but for me, Makdessi clearly controlled round two. Clearly.

Elsewhere, a desperate winging right hand punch from Abel Trujillo, heavily under fire from Jamie Varner and almost finished, earned the KO of the Night in Fight of The Night, and from the jaws of defeat Trujillo earned a win and $150,000 in bonuses.

A word finally, on Ali Bagautinov. The Russian flyweight delivered a smart, smart performance against weight-challenged John Lineker. Bagautinov had his game plan spot on, and on my card, easily won rounds one and three. Takedowns, Sambo and clever movement won him this one. He was hurt after taking a series of body shots in the second from the apocalyptic power of Lineker, but showed what a thinking fighter he is. Fast becoming an admirer of the Russian policeman. He may not quite be in the class of Demetrious Johnson, but again, we witnessed an artist at work against a raw power merchant. Technique over power and strength. Delight to behold.

Dana White confirmed Saturday night that the next UFC middleweight title fight would be Chris Weidman versus Vitor Belfort. “Weidman will fight Vitor Belfort in Vegas Memorial Day Weekend. I’m excited about this fight. And yes, Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva will be the co-main event.”